The Pointe à Bacchus Discovery Trail

Access and starting point:
Head towards the centre of Petit-Bourg. After travelling approximately 700 metres along the D33 from the junction with the N1, turn left and follow the signs for ‘Lycée des Droits de l’Homme’ and ‘Sentier de découverte’. Drive past the main entrance to the school and, at the roundabout, turn left towards the discovery trail. Park in the car park alongside the school or at the side of the road.

Directions:
The discovery trail is signposted on large dedicated posts, featuring the silhouette of a person looking out (not to be confused with the silhouette of a runner, which can be found on the same posts and indicates a fitness trail). N.B. There are not necessarily signposts at every junction…

(S/E) Walk past the secondary school on your left and head up the street until you reach an information board with a map. Continue along a track that turns right and descends gently. At a crossroads, stay on the track to the left and ignore the tarmacked street and alleyway to the right. After a few metres, you’ll reach a fork in the road.

(1) Follow the track on the right. After about a hundred metres (signpost), turn right onto a grassy path that climbs gently between savannah (unfenced grassland) and allotments. At the top (viewpoint overlooking the sea and its islets), turn left. After about 50 metres, opposite a house, turn left and head down along the edge of the woodland.

After about 50 metres (signpost), turn right (do not follow a large red arrow indicating to continue straight on). Walk down a steep path through the undergrowth (take care if it has rained recently) and you will come to a house that is clearly unfinished but bears the number 349B.

(2) Then turn left, leaving the house on your right. Further on, pass some abandoned tin shacks on your left. Walk alongside a mangrove area on your right and emerge into a savannah (signpost). Cross this very grassy, partly bushy meadow along a faint track. Veer left and head for a clearing in the woods, which marks the path to follow. Pass some huts on your right and climb the steep path (slippery if it has rained).

At the top (with a hut opposite), turn right and you’ll come to another marker post. Follow the path along the edge of the plateau, heading north-north-west, and pass one or two huts. The path becomes overgrown with vegetation and fallen trees (as of October 2017, following Cyclone Maria).
N.B. This path is supposed to continue to point (3) (see map); it is not known when it will be cleared.
At this point, turn left and cross the savannah, taking care to avoid the gardens, to rejoin a track running south-north. Follow the track to the right (north) until it bends at the foot of a large tree (a mahogany, if I’m not mistaken).

(3) Then follow the red-earth track due west. At a junction (signpost), carry on straight ahead. Pass a few huts and start descending along the edge of the field on your left (view of the north of Basse-Terre). The path then takes a wide bend to the left.

At the bottom of the descent, at a three-way junction, turn right. Then pass signpost no. 85 on your left (beautiful trees on the left-hand side) and turn left with the track. Pass a large, solitary tree on the right, then pass some huts on the right and turn left again. Pass a clump of bamboo on the right and arrive at a junction (signpost).

(4) Continue straight on. Do not follow the arrow on the nature trail which points to the right: the path is very overgrown (very tall grass, undergrowth), making progress very difficult; I advise against venturing there! So, continue eastwards between the fields. At the next junction, turn right towards a large house with a green roof. Climb gently, keeping a southerly direction, until you reach the junction marking the end of the circular route.

(1) Carry on straight ahead and follow the track you took at the start of the route back up to the school car park (S/E).

Hiking boots are advisable for the steep and potentially slippery sections. As the route crosses meadows that are partly overgrown with scrub, trousers are preferable to shorts. Although the route is partly shaded, bring sun protection as required.

Remember to bring a supply of water, even though the route is short.

The nature trail is situated in an area that is both unspoilt and used for agriculture: please respect the crops, particularly the Creole gardens. The savannahs (meadows) are grazed by cattle tethered to stakes: if an animal’s range of movement includes the walking path (see photo), please remain cautious and avoid making any sudden movements.

A detailed map is essential (at the very least, the one accompanying this description). A compass or a GPS track on your mobile phone may prove very useful.

Warnings:
- In October 2017, following Hurricane Maria, fallen trees are blocking the path: before (1), before (2)...: take care in these sections. Before (3), they force you to cut across the path. It is not known when the path will be cleared (major works which take time).
- Between points (2) and (3), the nature trail crosses scrubby meadows, following a very faint track or off the beaten track. These sections require a good sense of direction and progress is slow. This is why this short walk has been rated as ‘Moderate’.
- As things stand, at point (4), the ‘official’ route is impassable: follow this description.

Hike undertaken by the author on 4 October 2017.

- Agricultural landscape, Creole gardens, grazed savannahs.
- View of the sea between (1) and (2).
- Close to the mangrove after (2).